


Ya Done Fucked Up, Kid

by Soulbarebones



Series: Asterisk [39]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fucking Up, Gen, on a bender, one day at a time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 00:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14759477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soulbarebones/pseuds/Soulbarebones
Summary: Elliot really did it now.





	Ya Done Fucked Up, Kid

Elliot trudged onto the set in a grimmer mood than usual. His brain was a mangled chipmunk on the third rail on an in-bound commuter line...

It had been God knows how many days since the adoption had gone through and Elliot let his life go to complete shit decided to try his hand at the Partyboi lifestyle. There'd been drinking. So. Much. Drinking. 

And drugs. More than marijuana and poppers at the club. Pills and E and cocaine, and Lord only knew what else. He drew the line at injectibles, but the days passed by in a haze of pain and the nights were a blur of self-medicated bliss.

It was a wonder that he wasn't dead, although there was a good chance he smelled like he was. This morning, he'd woken up when his phone alarm went off and his lover-dujour shoved him, not out of bed but off the inflatable air mattress that they'd been cohabiting. No shower, no shave, not even a moment to steal some mouthwash. He'd spent his early morning trying to sort out where he was and how to get to work.

"Elliot, a word?" Reggie, the director's assistant, poked his head out of the office before Elliot had the chance to swipe his name badge through the digital punch clock.

Scowling at the hangover that forced his eyes to slits, Elliot fished his phone out of his pocket and squinted at the time bar. 513am. "Reg, Reg -- I'm sorry..." he blurted, making a U-turn and trekking back to the office.

"I know I'm a few minutes late..." Again. When had he become that person? 

"Elliot. Sit down." Reggie's voice was curt as he moved around his desk and dropped into his own chair. Elliot could brook no argument. He dropped into the cushioned armchair, his body immediately slumping into a slouch. "I'm not sure what's going on with you--"

Elliot opened his mouth to answer and Reggie held up his hand. "I'm not your therapist, I'm not your friend, and honestly, I don't want to know what your goddamn problem is. You used to be the best guy on my crew. Sharp. Punctual. Reliable. Kid, right now, you ain't any of those things. But I know what you have the capacity for so I'm gonna give you a chance to get your shit together."

"Get my shit together?" Elliot echoed in a daze. This moment should have been sobering but instead, he seemed to be wading through the last of whatever was circulating in his system.

"Yeah. Because I'm a nice guy and I like you, I'm not going to shitcan your ass. You're suspended. Two weeks. Without pay." Elliot frowned as Reggie leaned forward. "You hear me? You got two weeks to sober up, clean up, and screw that head of yours back on straight. You show up here --looking like you do right now-- and you're done. Do you get me?"

He felt the slackness of his jaw, the way his eyes tried to widen but couldn't seem to. "Reggie, I..."

"Do. You. Get. Me?"

Miserable, Elliot nodded.

"Good." Standing, Reggie moved to the door, holding it open wider because Elliot had never shut it. There was no need to, because there was never anyone else here this time of morning. 

He waited patiently for Elliot to haul himself off of the seat again, and it took mroe effort than he wanted to admit to, physically and emotionally. As Elliot passed him, almost in a daze, Reggie patted him on the back, his hand firm, encouraging. For some reason, Elliot was reminded of his grandfather. 

"Go home, kid," Reggie was saying. "I hope you get right with God, or whatever it is you gotta do, because we can use you around here. And people are gonna miss ya. So." He nodded solemnly. "Good luck."


End file.
